Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a radiation imaging system, a radiation imaging apparatus, control methods therefor, and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium.
Description of the Related Art
A radiation imaging system includes a radiation generation apparatus for generating radiation, and an imaging unit for generating a radiation image by detecting radiation. In recent years, products each of which uses a flat panel detector (FPD) as an imaging unit have become widespread. Detection elements (pixels) are arranged on the detector surface of an FPD in a matrix pattern, and the FPD accumulates signal charges generated for the respective pixels in accordance with the detection amount of radiation, and then A/D-converts the signal charges to obtain digital data. This digital data undergoes image processing and is used for diagnosis.
In general, in a radiation imaging system using imaging units, a system control unit is prepared to set the operations of the imaging units, input imaging order information such as an imaging portion and a patient name, and display a captured image, and all the imaging units exiting in the system are controlled by the system control unit. An operation unit and display unit are connected to the system control unit. The operation unit is used to operate the imaging units, and the display unit is used to display a radiation image output from the imaging unit. In general, a PC is used as the system control unit, an input device such as a keyboard and mouse is used as the operation unit, and a display device such as a liquid crystal display is used as the display unit.
After setting imaging conditions such as the exposure amount of radiation in a radiation generation apparatus, selecting an imaging unit to be used, and inputting imaging order information such as an imaging portion and the name and height/weight of a patient to the system control unit, a radiological technician who performs imaging of the patient guides the patient to the imaging unit, and performs radiation imaging based on pressing of an exposure button.
However, for example, when imaging in a standing posture which is supposed to be performed is urgently changed to imaging in a supine posture because the patient cannot support his/her body, or when imaging in a large square size which is supposed to be performed is changed to imaging in a half size because the body build of the patient is large, it may be necessary to change the imaging order information. Conventionally, the radiological technician needs to move to the system control unit, and change the imaging order.
To solve this problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-268822 discloses a technique of allowing modification of imaging order information of a system control unit from an operation unit without moving to the system control unit by connecting the operation unit communicable with the system control unit to the imaging unit in order to reduce the above complicated operation.
In the technique described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2010-268822, however, the system control unit is required, and thus conveyance and installation of the radiation imaging system become complicated, thereby disabling the portability of the overall system from improving, and increasing the system cost.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and provides a technique of reducing the system cost while improving the portability of the overall radiation imaging system.